Gun Violence 258
Marvin Williams, 28, loving dad who shares a birthday with his daughter
Marvin Tyrone Williams was walking into Taco Bell for his first day of work when he caught the attention of his co-worker, Valerie Palmore. She was on her way out the door after finishing her morning shift, and Marvin was reporting for duty for the afternoon shift. He was just her type: tall and handsome […]
Tyrik Acres, 20, loved teaching kids how to play basketball
At 5 feet, 7½ inches, Tyrik Amir Acres wasn’t the biggest player on the Bartram Braves football team, nor was he the tallest player on the basketball court. But that didn’t stop him from excelling at both sports. Tyrik’s mother, Shnieesha Acres, recalls watching her son score the winning touchdown when Bartram High School played […]
Jasahn Barnes, 30, whose Florida real estate dreams were cut short
Jasahn Barnes was going to make some big moves in 2022. He and his oldest child’s mother planned to relocate from Philadelphia to Florida and give their relationship another try in a new environment. He wanted to get into real estate and possibly start a demolition and cleaning business. Most of all, he wanted to […]
David Johnson, 40: ‘Being a good person cost him his life’
David Levine Johnson Jr. kept up with friends and family as if it was his job. He was known for making his rounds, popping in to hug and kiss everyone and asking if they were okay. “David was an active person, so you’d see him one minute and he’s gone the next,” said his sister, […]
Nahray Crisden, 19, lightning-fast athlete who was ‘always trying to save people’
Nahray Crisden was his mother’s greatest blessing when she gave birth to him on Sept. 16, 2000 after struggling with serious health issues for most of her life. For his middle name, she chose Munakk, which means “savior” in Arabic. And Nahray lived up to that name. He tried to save the young men in […]
Ramonita Jusino, 19: ‘She had all of these plans’
Ramonita Jusino embodied the qualities of a Capricorn: goal-oriented, hardworking and responsible. She identified so closely with her zodiac sign that last year she got a tattoo of the constellation on her upper left arm. Ramonita was focused on earning money so she could knock a couple goals off her list, opening a salon with […]
Brian Madera, 22, high-flying truck driver and ‘happy soul’
Brian Madera was living large and proud, sometimes grossing $7,000 a week driving his 18-wheeler, Big Bertha, and blowing nearly half of it in one weekend at the club. He took frequent vacations to the Dominican Republic, where his family was from, and would blare Bachata music when he showed up for work at 2 […]
Khalil Hicks, 39, a father who designed and sold clothing
In the summer of 1997, Khalil Hicks and Saleemah Oglesby set eyes on each other for the first time outside of Power 99 FM’s annual Powerhouse concert. They had mutual friends, and the group had purchased tickets for the concert. But when they tried to enter the concert with the tickets, they found out they […]
Ninetyfive South Stewart, 30, a vegan who made family his priority
He went by Anthony and Kareem at different points in his life, but by the time he became an adult, Ninetyfive South Stewart had embraced his unusual name. “It brought him a lot of attention, and he loved attention,” his sister Darlene Lee said. Ninetyfive was born at the Dover Toll Plaza in Delaware on […]
Kyron Howerton, 24, doting father who “fixed everything”
Kyron “Rondo” Howerton was an unabashed “momma’s boy.” He and his mother, Kimberly, hung out at the mall, walked along the Delaware River waterfront, cooked soul food together, and swapped relationship and parenting advice. When Kimberly dropped more than 130 pounds, Kyron cheered her on Instagram: “Ma, you got this! You’re looking like a snack […]
Angel L. Torres III, 22, Philly sports fan with a remarkable memory for stats
Angel Luis Torres III wasn’t an ordinary sports fan. He immersed himself in statistics, memorizing data on players from the major leagues all the way down to the local high school teams. He and his mother, Christy Hernandez Torres, shared a passion for sports. They took part in fantasy football, but baseball was Angel’s true […]
Protected: Raymond Holmes, 39, Mr. Fix-It and Doting Family Man
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Latoya Wright, 37, mother of four who had a gigantic personality
Everyone who went to Latoya Wright’s house in North Philadelphia knew they were in for a good time. Her home served as a gathering spot for family, especially around the holidays, where the music was always blasting and Latoya was the center of attention. “My sister was the main entertainment. She had a gigantic personality,” […]
Jayden Lucas, 18: ‘He died doing what he loved, playing basketball’
When Jayden Lucas was in middle school, he would go out of his way to meet Makayla Myers as they navigated their way on SEPTA from Northeast Philadelphia, where they lived, to Center City. She saw him as just a friend, but as they got older, their relationship blossomed. Jayden got his first car in […]
Zah’Air Chatmon, 21: ‘He dreamed of flying high’
Growing up, Zah’Air Chatmon was never given a BB gun or a Super Soaker. Living in a violent South Philadelphia neighborhood, his mother didn’t want her son’s fingers getting too comfortable with triggers. At age 17, Jeannette Barnes was blessed with a smooth pregnancy and even smoother transition upon leaving the hospital with her baby […]
Most viewed
